JP2017118232A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a security environment of an image forming apparatus from being changed due to a maintenance work without a user becoming aware of the change.SOLUTION: A setting reception part 181 receives settings including a setting on maintenance of formation of images, a setting on security, and a setting on a manager user. When the manager user is not set yet, the setting reception part 181 receives all settings performed by a maintenance worker, and when the manager user is already set, inhibits reception of the setting on security performed by the maintenance worker.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus maintained by a maintenance worker.

  In an image forming apparatus, a maintenance worker may set up a product and then deliver it to a user. For this reason, the maintenance worker is given a maintenance work authority capable of changing all the settings in advance in the same manner as the administrator user so that setup can be performed.

  When an image forming apparatus is delivered, security settings such as setting of access authority and invalidation of USB connection are often performed by an administrator user. This is because the image forming apparatus often stores confidential information of users such as confidential documents and address books.

  Even when a maintenance worker maintains the image forming apparatus for maintaining the performance or malfunction of the image forming apparatus, it is necessary to take measures to prevent leakage of confidential information. In view of this, there has been proposed a technique for outputting maintenance information to an external terminal of a maintenance worker so that only an authorized maintenance worker can perform the maintenance work or making maintenance information printing unnecessary (for example, , See Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2007-003900 A JP 2009-248492 A

  However, in the prior art, maintenance workers have the authority to change all settings so that the image forming apparatus can be set up, so the security settings set by the administrator user are unintentionally changed during regular maintenance work. There was a risk of doing so. Therefore, there is a possibility that the security environment of the image forming apparatus is changed without the administrator user being aware.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said subject, and it aims at providing the technique which can solve the said subject.

An image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that performs image formation, and includes a setting reception unit that receives settings including settings related to maintenance of image formation, settings related to security, and settings of an administrator user. The setting reception unit receives all the settings by a maintenance worker when the administrator user is not set, and receives the settings related to the security by the maintenance worker when the administrator user is set. Is prohibited.
The setting accepting unit may cancel the prohibition of accepting the setting related to security instructed to permit use when there is a setting related to security instructed to permit use by the administrator user in advance. .
The setting accepting unit may cancel the prohibition of accepting the setting related to the security for which the use permission is instructed during a preset use permission period.
The setting reception unit may receive a setting that is completely initialized to a factory default state and a setting related to the image forming maintenance in a state where the administrator user has been set.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the security environment of the image forming apparatus from being changed without the administrator user being aware of the maintenance work.

1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an example of registration of the use permission table shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the maintenance management part shown in FIG. It is a display example of a 1st maintenance screen. It is a display example of a use permission setting screen. It is an example of a display of a use permission period setting screen. It is a display example of a 2nd maintenance screen. It is a display example of a 3rd maintenance screen.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that, in the following embodiments, the same reference numerals are given to configurations showing similar functions.

  An image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a multi function peripheral (MFP) having a copying function, a scanner function, a network communication function, and the like. The image forming apparatus 1 includes an operation unit 11, a communication unit 12, a login processing unit 13, a document reading unit 14, a storage unit 15, an image processing unit 16, a printing unit 17, and a control unit 18. ing.

  The operation unit 11 is provided with a liquid crystal display unit and operation buttons. The liquid crystal display unit can display the state of the image forming apparatus 1, display the image forming status and the number of copies, and display a maintenance screen for performing maintenance. In addition, the liquid crystal display unit can be used as a touch panel to perform various settings such as functions such as double-sided printing and black-and-white reversal, magnification setting, density setting, and maintenance setting. As the operation buttons, a start button for instructing the user to start image formation, a stop / clear button for use when stopping image formation, and various settings of the image forming apparatus 1 are used for default settings. A reset button, a numeric keypad, and the like are provided.

  The communication unit 12 has a function of transmitting / receiving various data to / from an external terminal via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

  The login processing unit 13 performs user login authentication, and restricts the functions that can be used in the image forming apparatus 1 in accordance with the authority given to the user who has been successfully authenticated, and logs in the user.

  The document reading unit 14 emits light to a document fed by a document feeder (not shown) or a document placed on a platen glass by a user, and receives reflected light or the like to form a document image. It is a scanner that reads.

  The storage unit 15 is a storage unit such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and is a storage unit in which image data read by the document reading unit 14 and image data received by the communication unit 12 are accumulated. . The image data stored in the storage unit 15 includes confidential information. The storage unit 15 also stores an address book. The address book in which personal information is registered is also confidential information.

  The storage unit 15 stores a use permission table 151. In the use permission table 151, maintenance items that are permitted to be used by maintenance workers by the administrator user are registered. FIG. 2 is a registration example of the use permission table 151. In the use permission table 151, maintenance items that are permitted to be used and their use permission periods are registered. Maintenance items whose use permission period has passed are automatically deleted from the use permission table 151 by a setting reception unit 181 described later, and the maintenance worker's use authority for the maintenance items whose use permission period has passed disappears.

  The image processing unit 16 is means for performing predetermined image processing on the image data. In the image processing unit 16, for example, enlargement / reduction processing, image improvement processing such as density adjustment, gradation adjustment, and the like are performed.

  The printing unit 17 is a printing unit that prints based on the image data stored in the storage unit 15. For example, the printing unit 17 forms a latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum based on the image data read from the storage unit 15, performs image formation using the latent image as a toner image with toner, and records from the photosensitive drum. The toner image is transferred onto the paper, and the toner image is fixed onto the recording paper and discharged.

  The control unit 18 is connected to the operation unit 11, the communication unit 12, the login processing unit 13, the document reading unit 14, the storage unit 15, the image processing unit 16, and the printing unit 17, and predetermined instructions input from the operation unit 11. The operation control of the entire image forming apparatus 11 is executed according to the information. The control unit 18 is an information processing unit such as a microcomputer including a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The ROM stores a control program for controlling the operation of the image forming apparatus 11. The control unit 18 reads the control program stored in the ROM and develops the control program in the RAM, thereby controlling the entire apparatus according to predetermined instruction information input from the operation unit 11.

  The control unit 18 also functions as a setting reception unit 181 that receives settings related to image formation maintenance, security settings, administrator user settings, and the like.

  Specifically, a processing flow of the setting reception unit 181 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The setting reception unit 181 waits until the maintenance worker logs in to the image forming apparatus 1 using the maintenance work password (No in Step s11 and Step s11). The maintenance password is set in advance at the time of shipment from the factory, and is common to the series of image forming apparatuses 1 so that the maintenance worker does not have to remember a plurality of passwords.

  When the maintenance worker logs in via the login processing unit 13 (Yes in step s11), the setting reception unit 181 determines whether or not the administrator user is not set (step s12).

  If the administrator user has not been set (Yes in step s12), the setting reception unit 181 determines that all settings can be received (step s13), and displays the first maintenance screen that enables reception of all settings. It is displayed (step s14), and this process is terminated. At the time of factory shipment, the administrator user is not set.

  FIG. 4 is a display example of the first maintenance screen. On the first maintenance screen G50, a print position adjustment 51, a reading position correction 52, a high voltage setting 53, an initialize 54, an HDD FORMAT 55, a USB HOST LOCK 56, an Import / Export 57, a complete initialization 58, and the like are displayed.

  Each of the print position adjustment 51, the reading position correction 52, and the high voltage setting 53 is a setting relating to maintenance of image formation, and is a maintenance item for device adjustment. The print position adjustment 51 can adjust the print position with respect to the recording paper in the printing unit 17, and the read position correction 52 can adjust the read position with respect to the document image in the document reading unit 14. Further, in the high voltage setting 53, the printing voltage can be adjusted by setting the bias voltage in the image forming apparatus 1.

  Each of Initialize 54, HDD FORMAT 55, USB HOST LOCK 56, and Import / Export 57 is a setting relating to security. In the Initialize 54, user setting values can be initialized, and security settings are also initialized. In the HDD FORMAT 55, the entire storage unit 15 can be initialized, and there is a possibility that the maintenance worker erases confidential information stored in the storage unit 15. In the USB HOST LOCK 56, the connection of the USB memory to the image forming apparatus 1 can be set to be valid or invalid. In Import / Export 57, setting values can be read from the outside, and setting values can be written to the outside.

  The maintenance worker performs initialization using the Initialize 54 and the HDD FORMAT 55, and uses the USB HOST LOCK 56 and the Import / Export 57 to read the initial program and setting values for initial setting into the image forming apparatus 1. Thus, the image forming apparatus 1 can be set up.

  The complete initialization 58 is a setting for completely initializing the image forming apparatus 1 to a factory-shipped state, but is not a setting related to security. This is because the security setting is also initialized by initializing the image forming apparatus 1 to the factory-shipped state, but since the confidential information of the user is also initialized, there is no security problem.

  The maintenance worker can perform setup for handing over the image forming apparatus 1 to the user via the first maintenance screen G50. When the setup operation is completed, the image forming apparatus 1 is delivered (delivered) to the user by a maintenance worker.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 is delivered, the user sets an administrator user who has administrator authority via the setting reception unit 181 and sets the security of the image forming apparatus 1. Accordingly, security measures such as prevention of leakage of confidential information are taken, and the security environment of the image forming apparatus 1 is prepared. Note that the maintenance worker may set an administrator user via the setting reception unit 181 and set security as the administrator user, and then hand over the image forming apparatus 1 to the user.

  When it is time to perform regular maintenance or the like of the image forming apparatus 1, the maintenance worker logs in to the image forming apparatus 1 again using the maintenance work password (step s11). At this time, since the administrator user is set in the image forming apparatus 1 (No in step s12), the setting reception unit 181 prohibits the reception of the settings related to security (step s15). This is to prevent the maintenance environment of the image forming apparatus 1 in operation from being destroyed or lowering the security level by maintenance work of the maintenance worker.

  Subsequently, the setting reception unit 181 refers to the use permission table 151 and determines whether there is a setting permitted to be used by the administrator user (step s16). Depending on the content of the maintenance such as updating the firmware, it may be necessary to perform maintenance using settings relating to security that are prohibited from being accepted. In this case, the administrator user can temporarily allow the maintenance worker to use the security-related settings that are prohibited from being received via the setting receiving unit 181 as necessary.

  FIG. 5 is a display example of a use permission setting screen G60 for permitting use of a setting for which reception is prohibited. The settings that are prohibited from being accepted include Initialize 54, HDD FORMAT 55, USB HOST LOCK 56, Import / Export 57, and the like. When the administrator user selects a setting for permitting use and presses an OK button B60, a use permission period setting screen G70 shown in FIG. 6 is displayed.

  On the use permission period setting screen G70, it is possible to set a use permission period for setting to permit use. Here, the start date and time 71a and the end date and time 71b can be respectively set, and the period from the set start date and time 71a to the end date and time 71b is set as the use permission period. Note that the power ON / OFF may be set as the timing from the start to the end as the use permission period from the next power ON to the OFF. In this way, by setting the use permission period, it is possible to allow the maintenance worker to use the settings related to security only during the period required for maintenance. When the use permission period is set, the setting permitted use and the use permission period are registered in the use permission table 151 by the setting reception unit 181. A plurality of settings that permit use can be set.

  If there is no use-permitted setting (No in step s16), the setting reception unit 181 displays the second maintenance screen G80 that prohibits the reception of security-related settings (step s17), and ends this process. .

  FIG. 7 is a display example of the second maintenance screen G80. On the second maintenance screen G80, there are a print position adjustment 51, a reading position correction 52, and a high pressure setting 53, which are settings related to image formation maintenance, and a complete initialization 58 for completely initializing the factory-set state. Settings are displayed. Here, the security-related settings that are prohibited from being accepted are hidden on the second maintenance screen, but may be displayed in a grayed out and inoperable state.

  On the second maintenance screen G80, settings relating to security cannot be used, but settings relating to image formation maintenance can be used, so that periodic maintenance is possible. On the other hand, since settings related to security cannot be used, it is possible to prevent maintenance workers from inadvertently affecting the security environment during regular maintenance.

  In addition, the complete initialization 58, which is a setting for fully initializing to the factory default state, allows the administrator user to forget the administrator password and reset everything to redo the settings. It is. Since all confidential information and the like are lost by being initialized to the factory default state, even if the security settings set by the administrator user are initialized, there is no security problem. Further, by initializing to the factory default state, the administrator user is also initialized to an unset state. Therefore, when the maintenance worker logs in after being initialized to the factory default state, the first maintenance screen G50 that can accept all the settings is displayed, and the image forming apparatus 1 can be set up again. It is like that.

  On the other hand, when there is a setting permitted to be used (Yes in step s16), the setting receiving unit 181 cancels the prohibition of accepting the setting permitted to use among the settings determined to be unacceptable and enables the setting. The third maintenance screen G90 is displayed (step s18), and this process is terminated.

  FIG. 8 is a display example of the third maintenance screen G90. In the third maintenance screen G90, settings permitted to be used are additionally displayed on the second maintenance screen G80. Here, USB HOST LOCK 56 and Import / Export 57, which are settings registered in the use permission table 151, are displayed on the third maintenance screen G90 so as to be usable. Of the settings that are determined to be unacceptable, settings that are not permitted to use remain in an unusable state.

  When the maintenance is performed via the third maintenance screen G90, the security environment of the image forming apparatus 1 may be changed. However, the settings related to security displayed on the third maintenance screen G90 are previously permitted to be used by maintenance personnel by the administrator user. Therefore, the administrator user knows that maintenance that changes the security environment is performed, and can back up the security environment after maintenance work by backing up confidential information in advance.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment includes the setting reception unit 181 that receives settings including settings related to image formation maintenance, settings related to security, and administrator user settings. The setting reception unit 181 receives all the settings by the maintenance worker when the administrator user is not set, and prohibits the maintenance worker from receiving the setting regarding security when the administrator user is already set. Therefore, at the time of setup, the maintenance worker can change all the settings, and the setup work can be performed efficiently. On the other hand, in the periodic maintenance, the acceptance of security settings by maintenance workers is prohibited, so there is no concern that the security environment will be changed by maintenance work.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 11 Operation part 12 Communication part 13 Login process part 14 Document reading part 15 Storage part 16 Image processing part 17 Printing part 18 Control part 51 Print position adjustment 52 Reading position correction 53 High pressure setting 54 Initialize
55 HDD FORMAT
56 USB HOST LOCK
57 Import / Export
58 Complete initialization 71a Start date and time 71b End date and time 151 Use permission table 181 Setting accepting unit G50 First maintenance screen G60 Use permission setting screen G70 Use permission period setting screen G80 Second maintenance screen G90 Third maintenance screens B60 and B70 OK button

Claims (4)

An image forming apparatus that performs image formation,
A setting reception unit for receiving settings including settings related to maintenance of the image formation, settings related to security, and settings of an administrator user;
The setting reception unit
When the administrator user is not set, all the settings by the maintenance worker are accepted, and when the administrator user is already set, the maintenance worker is prohibited from accepting the security setting. An image forming apparatus. The setting reception unit
The prohibition of the acceptance of the setting related to the security instructed to permit use is canceled when there is a setting related to the security instructed to use by the administrator user in advance. Image forming apparatus. The setting reception unit
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the prohibition of the acceptance of the setting related to the security for which the use permission is instructed is canceled during a preset use permission period. The setting reception unit
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a setting that is completely initialized to a factory default state and a setting relating to the maintenance of the image formation are received in a state in which the administrator user has been set. 5. The image forming apparatus described in the item.

Images